Shopper takes to social media after making unexpected discovery in pocket of jeans from thrift shop: 'My phone blew up'

A Fargo, North Dakota, man got a wholly unexpected Christmas surprise after a thoughtful thrift shopper and his partner sprang into action, according to WDAY.

"I am looking for a person who graduated in 1989," a Dec. 21 post in the Facebook group New Rockford friends began.

"I bought a piece of clothing years ago at a Fargo thrift store, and found a class ring in the pocket," they continued. "Looks to be a man's ring, with Enochson etched inside."

Secondhand stores are uniquely positioned to facilitate irreplaceable and often sentimental finds, with cherished family photos and heirlooms routinely falling into the hands of kindhearted strangers after being mistakenly donated or otherwise lost. 

It's not uncommon to come across anecdotes about shocking, unexpected, and moving secondhand finds, like precise replicas of treasured family possessions.

While thrifting has always been popular among frugal shoppers and fashionistas who prefer vintage quality, it's becoming even more so for a multitude of reasons. Inflation has been a driver of thrift sales, as has the quality of clothing from the pre-fast fashion era.

Secondhand stores carry a wide range of necessities, from clothing to household goods, much of it brand-new or gently used, and a Capital One survey found that habitual thrifters saved nearly $1,800 a year.

Shopping at thrift stores is definitely a great way to save big on name-brand clothing and high-end household goods, but it also keeps scores of perfectly good items out of landfills; textile waste is responsible for roughly 10% of global pollution.

Saving money and protecting the planet are compelling reasons to take up thrifting, as is the scenario the poster encountered — finding cash or jewelry stashed in the pockets or drawers of secondhand scores.

In the poster's case, the ring she located bore a clue as to its owner: "Enochson" was inscribed inside the band. 

Roughly what percentage of your clothes do you buy secondhand? None 0️⃣ Under 20 percent 👠 20-50 percent 👖 Over 50 percent 👚 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Users quickly chimed in to suggest the ring belonged to a man named Mike Enochson, and his partner, Tasha Joern, was soon tagged in to the thread. Enochson had donated a pair of pants "30 years ago," she explained, with his 1989 class ring in the pocket.

"My phone blew up, I was getting messages like crazy," she recalled. 

The original poster coordinated with Joern and overnighted the ring so Enochson could open it on Christmas. On the original post, commenters were thrilled to watch the ring make its way back to Enochson.

"This is so amazing that you are trying to return this ring. I found one a while back and was able to return it. The owner was so thankful to get it back," one replied.

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